What feature is necessary to protect sensitive data from unauthorized access?

The feature that is essential for protecting sensitive data from unauthorized access is access control. Access control systems determine who can view or use resources in a computing environment. By implementing access control measures, an organization can ensure that only authorized users have the ability to access certain data or functionalities, thereby safeguarding sensitive information from unauthorized individuals.

Access control mechanisms include user authentication, authorization levels, and role-based access controls, which help prevent data breaches and misuse of information. These measures are critical in establishing a secure architecture for data management, ensuring that sensitive information remains confidential and is accessed solely by those who have the appropriate privileges.

While sheet security can also play a role in protecting specific sheets within the data, it is more of a localized feature, whereas access control provides a broader and more comprehensive level of protection across the entire system. Data encryption is important for securing data in transit or at rest, and audit logging is useful for tracking access and identifying potential breaches. However, without robust access control measures in place, sensitive data remains at risk of being accessed by unauthorized users, underscoring the necessity of having effective access control in protecting sensitive data.